What is CR?

There is no other organization like CR anywhere in the world today! Find out why...

Table of Contents

  1. Why CR?
  2. Our Mission and Purpose
  3. How does CR Function?
  4. Who Funds CR?
  5. The Problem With New Dental Products
  6. CR's On-Site Personnel
  7. Thousands of Dental Products
  8. CR's Clinical Facility
  9. CR Performs Laboratory Tests
  10. CR Has Extensive Microbiology Capabilities
  11. Reports
  12. Buying Guide
  13. Employment Opportunities

Why CR?

CRA® (Clinical Research Associates®), now CR Foundation®, is known by the following names:

  • CRA®
  • Clinical Research Associates®
  • CRA® Newsletter
  • Clinical Research Associates® Newsletter
  • CRA Foundation® Newsletter
  • CR Foundation®
  • Gordon J. Christensen CLINICIANS REPORT®
This non-profit organization was initiated in 1976 by Drs. Gordon J. and Rella P. Christensen who believed practitioners could confirm efficacy and clinical usefulness of new products and avoid both the experimentation on patients and failures in the closet. With this purpose in mind, CRA® was organized as a unique volunteer effort where clinicians worldwide unite their expertise for the sole purpose of testing all types of dental products and disseminating results to colleagues throughout the world. CR Foundation® remains the only non-profit, private dental product evaluating group working with all types of products dedicated to serving practitioners throughout the world.

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Our Mission and Purpose

Our mission and main purposes are:

  1. To identify the outstanding products, techniques, and equipment for delivery of oral care through laboratory and clinical research.
  2. To tell the truth as far as it is known about all our research findings.
  3. To disseminate the research findings as broadly as possible through use of the CR Report, journal publications, trade magazines, dental courses, video tapes, computer networking, telephone, and any other communication tools.
  4. To dedicate ourselves personally to serving our fellowman, realizing that volunteering to serve others is a way of serving God as long as we remain true to the service goal and free of the desire to personal gratification.

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How does CR Function?

Each year, CR tests in excess of 650 different product brands, performing about 20,000 field evaluations. CR tests all types of dental products, including materials, devices, and equipment, plus techniques. Worldwide, products are purchased from distributors, secured from companies, and sent to CR by clinicians, inventors, and patients. There is no charge to companies for product evaluations. Testing is performed by combined efforts of 400 clinicians in 16 countries who volunteer their time and expertise, and 40 on-site basic scientists, engineers, and support staff. Every product is subjected to at least 2 levels of CR's unique 3-tiered evaluation process that consists of:

  1. Clinical Field Trials where new products are incorporated into routine use in a variety of dental practices, and compared by clinicians to products and methods they use routinely.
  2. Controlled Clinical Tests where new products are used and compared under rigorously controlled conditions, and patients are paid for their time as study participants.
  3. Laboratory Tests where physical and chemical properties of new products are compared to standard products.

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Who Funds CR?

Research funds come from subscriptions to the Gordon J. Christensen CLINICIANS REPORT® and Gordon J. Christensen Dental Hygiene CLINICIANS REPORT®. Revenue from CR's "Dentistry Update"® courses support payroll for non-clinical staff. All Clinical Evaluators volunteer their time and expertise. CR is a non-profit, educational and research institute. It is not owned in whole or in part by any individual, family, or group of investors. This system, free of outside funding, was designed to keep CR's research objective and candid.

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The Problem With New Dental Products

New dental products have always presented a challenge to clinicians because, with little more than promotional information to guide them, they must judge between those that are new and better, and those that are just new. Due to industry's keen competition and rush to be first on the market, clinicians and their patients often become test data for new products. Every clinician has, at one time or another, become a victim of this system. All own new products that did not meet expectations, but are stored in hope of some unknown future use or thrown away at considerable loss.

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CR's On-Site Personnel

Our on-site paid personnel consist of 40 basic scientists, engineers, and support staff. Revenue from CR's "Dentistry Update"® courses fund salaries.

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Thousands of Dental Products

Thousands of dental products from all over the world arrive at CR each year. Research funds come from Gordon J. Christensen CLINICIANS REPORT® and Gordon J. Christensen Dental Hygiene CLINICIANS REPORT® subscriptions. Every product is subjected to at least two levels of CR's three-tiered evaluation processes.

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CR's Clinical Facility

CR's clinical facility resembles a private dental clinic. However, in this setting, it is the patients who are paid. Examples of products studied here are restorative materials, vital tooth whitening systems, air abrasion units, caries detection devices, and other types of dental equipment.

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CR Performs Laboratory Tests

CR performs laboratory tests to determine physical and chemical characteristics of products such as compressive, tensile, and diametral tensile strengths. Thermal stressing and other methods are also used. Assays are conducted to verify product claims. For example, CR has an extensive collection of data on fluoride of over 50 different dental products monitored for over five years.

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CR Has Extensive Microbiology Capabilities

A five-member team routinely works with pathogenic viruses and bacteria in tests on hundreds of infection control products from around the world such as masks, gloves, disinfectants, sterilizers, etc. Periodontal pathogens and organisms associated with dental decay, as well as microorganisms in water and air are addressed.

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Reports

Currently, the Gordon J. Christensen CLINICIANS REPORT® is published monthly in nine languages (English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Portuguese-Brazil, and Spanish) and has a readership exceeding 100,000. The Gordon J. Christensen Dental Hygiene CLINICIANS REPORT® is published 6 times a year and is available in English. Electronic versions of all printed English CR resources are available online, which allows rapid searching of CR Reports for concepts and products.

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Buying Guide

Each December, CR publishes a "DENTISTS BUYING GUIDE" and "DENTAL HYGIENE BUYING GUIDE" which list brand names, a brief description, sources, and costs of the best dental products evaluated during the past year. This is an essential resource for dental clinicians & hygienists. These buying guides can be purchased individually by contacting CR.

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Employment Opportunities

CR is an excellent employment choice for pre-dental students wishing to excel in the dental profession. As employees of CR, pre-dental students receive hands-on experience in our research labs, work directly with dentists and research scientists, and have CR's vast knowledge of dental products and techniques at their finger tips. Click here to download an application. Resume with references must accompany the application. Applications may be delivered in person or mailed to CR Foundation 3707 North Canyon Road Building 7 Provo, UT 84604. Fax applications to 801-764-9463.

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Employment Application.pdf14.96 KB